5 ways to get kids to eat healthily
All too often we find ourselves short of inspiration when it comes to ways to get kids to enjoy the foods that are good for them. If you are looking for help to keep kids on track, and eat more healthily, give these tried and tested tips a go.
1. Load up on the good stuff at breakfast
Breakfast is an easy meal to get right, and it really is the most important meal of the day. One good way to encourage kids to eat well is by forgoing the high-sugar cereals and filling them up with the goodness of eggs, wholegrain toast, healthy smoothies or yoghurt.
This will give them energy to get through their day and will decrease the number of snacks they’ll ‘need’ for energy
2. Don't label foods as "good" or "bad."
Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports or doing well in school. Let your child know that lean protein such as turkey and calcium in dairy products give them strength for sports. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair. And eating a healthy breakfast can help them keep focus in class.
3. Avoid placing restrictions on food.
Restricting food increases the risk of your child developing eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life. It can also have a negative effect on growth and development. Instead of banning foods, talk about all the healthy, nutritional options there are - encouraging your family to choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and dairy, while avoiding heavily processed, low-quality junk foods.
4. Don’t use junk food as a reward
A lot of parents use food as a reward, saying things like: “We can get McDonald's for dinner if you keep your room clean all week” or “You did so well on your test, I think you deserve a chocolate.”
This only encourages the idea that junk food is the ultimate treat to strive for. Instead, we should offer non-food rewards, and praise our kid’s healthy choices, and remember that a little “hero worship” when they finish their carrots/peas can work wonders.
5. Be a good role model
Kids look up to their parents, which means you need to lead by example. This might be the hardest part of getting your kids to eat healthily. Many of us carry perceptions of certain foods from childhood and don’t like to eat many veggies ourselves. Besides the fact that eating healthily is proven to reduce the risk of practically every disease and condition imaginable, we now have the added incentive of doing it for our kids’ sake. You, who would wake up several times during the night for a crying baby and then put in a full day of laundry, diapers, cooking, and cleaning the next day, can surely eat veggies in the name of doing what is best for your children.
Parenting experts agree that children pick up behaviour based much less on what they are told and much more on what they observe. If they see you routinely eating veggies and enjoying them, they will start to choose it themselves! If it helps, try lots of new veggies and find ways to involve a variety of colour. The more visually appealing foods are, the more likely they (and you) are to enjoy them. As a last resort, just remember that you can make yourself like any food if you eat it long enough.
